Fatigue-testing machine.



G. B. UPTON & G. W. LEWIS.

FATIGUE TESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12. I913.

Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

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G. B. UPTON & G. W. LEWIS.

FATIGUE TESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12. 1913.

1,156,726. Patented Oct. 12, 1915.

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G. 'B. UPTON & G. W. LEWIS.

FATIGUE TESTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12. 1913.

Patented Oct 12, 1915.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0,,WASHINOTON, D. c.

G. B. UPTON & G. w. ILEWIS" FATIGUE TESTING MACHINE.

APPLlCATlON FILED NOV. 12. I913.

Patented 0015.12, 1915.

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piarrnn enonens. Urroiworrrnaca nnw roan, Ann GEORGE w. Lewis, on swARTHMoRn, PENNSYLVANIA, assrencns 'rrnros ensnn Tnsrme MACHINE COMPANY, or

'PHILfiDELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CGRFORATION PENNSYLVANIA.

- FATIGUE-TESTING MAcHiN Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. November 12,1913. 7 Serial No. 800,614.

b (ZZZ whom it may concern 7 Be it known that we, GEORGE E. UPTON and GEORGE W. LE\VIS, citizens of the United States, and residents of Ithaca, county of Tompkins, State of New York, and Swarthmore, county of Delaware, Stateof Pennsylvania, respectively, have invented certain Improvements in Fatigue-Testing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

One object of our invention is to provide a machine for testing the endurance of any material, and particularly metal bars, when subjected to bending stresses alternating in the direction of their application; the machine being so designed as to indicate visually, as well as to record, the amount of stress applied, and also the number of times the test piece is stressed.

Another ob ect of theinvention 1s to provide a machine which shall include mechanism for alternately bending a test piece in opposite directions to determine its resist ance to fatigue, the invention contemplating novel means for applying and measuring the stress resulting from the bending.

We further desire to provide a testing machine having the above noted characteristics, with novel mechanism for adjusting the measuring and recording mechanism, as well as novel means whereby said mechanism shall be automatically thrown .out of action when the test piece breaks.

lVe also desire to provide a fatigue testing machine with novel'means for holding the piece under test and for applying thereto a predetern'nned loadin order to cause a definite fiber stress insaid piece; the invene ticn further contemplating means for insuring that all pieces tested shall have the same length under stress. I

These objects and other advantageous ends we attain as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine constructed according to our invention; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Figs. 3 and dare respectively a side elevation and a plan of the machine; Fig. 5 is a fragn'ientary side elevation illustrating certain details of the invention, and Fig, 6 is a plan of a portion of a record rod 24.

sheet, showing the record made by the machine. I r i In the above drawing 1 represents the frame or body of the machine which is supported on legs 2 and provides bearings for a substantially horizontal shaft 3, on which is fixed a cone pulley 4 or any other suit-, able device constitutin or capable of being connected to, a source of power. Likewise fixedto the shaft is a fly-wheel 5, while at one end thereof is a crank disk 6 and at the opposite end a'gear 7, all keyed or otherwise fixed to, so to turn with said shaft;

. Carried on a short spindle 8, journaled in the frame 1 is avpinion 9, meshing with the gear 7, and said spindle 8 is extended for the reception o'f a crank handle'10 whereby it, and'therefore, the pinion 9 maybe turned at will. The outer face of the crank disk 6 is provided with a radial slot 11, in which is the I arrangement being such that said pin maybe clamped in the slot at any desired dis-f adjustably mounted a crank pin 12,

tance from the center of the shaft.

main portion of the frame 1 adjacent the crank disko is a rectangular standard 13, integral with or attached to the body of the frame and carrying adjacent one of its upper corners a short horizontally projecting Projecting upward from that endof the sirarns meme orrion.

Patented Oct, 12,1915. i i

stud or hinge pin 11, on whose outer end is rotatably mounted a jaw 15; The outer face of this latter has a transverse slot in which is a clamping plate 16, movable into holding engagement witha test piece w by means of a pair of set screws 17. Projecting downwardly from the'back or inner portion ofthis jaw 15 is a vertically slotted plate '18 serving to some extent as a guide or movement limiting device for a second aw 19 which has a rearwardly projecting pin or bolt 20 passing through the slot in this plate 18 and vertically slidable therein. This sec- 7 0nd jaw has a transverse slot extending in line with the slot of the jaw 15 and likewise containing a clamping plate 21, whichmay be set up into engagement with the test bar or piece by setscrews 22. Integral with and projecting downwardly from the jaw 19 is an arm 23, whose lower end is operatively joined to the crank pin 12 by a connecting projecting lugs 25, between which are mounteda pair of springs 26 and27 whose adjacent ends engage the suitably formed end 28 of an arm 29 projecting horizontally fromthe upper jaw 15.

mounted between the end 28 of the arm 29 and the lugs 25 respectively, there being plates 30 interposed between each lug and the adjacent end of its spring, which plates are or may be acted upon by set screws 31 extending through said lugs, for the purpose of applying more or less compression to said springs. V l

Vertically under the arm 23 which projects downwardly'from the jaw 19 is a supporting plate 32 carried on a rod 33 guided by bearing 34fixed to the side of one of the legs 2. This rod with the plate may be raised by a foot lever 35 pivoted to the frame at=36, and the distance to which it can be moved upwardly by said lever is lim- 7 ited by a collar 37 fixed to it by a set screw 38 so that the plate 32 cannot be moved up beyond a certain point. Said plate is de signed to raisefthe arm 23 and with it the jaw 19 so that the upper surface of the latter may always be brought to within a constant distance from the lower face of the jaw 15 so that there is always the same free length of-the test piece between said aws.

Pivoted to the portion 13 of the frame ad'- jacent one side of the spring 27 is a small lever 40, whose short arm is connected by a bar'41 with the head or end 28 of the arm 29, Thelong arm of this lever carries a pencil point 42 designed to form a record on a sheet of paper mounted on acylindrical drum 43, having a hollow spindle 44-which may be clamped toa vertically extended rod 45 by a set screw 46. This rod, above the set screw is' threaded as shown at 47 and passes through a correspondingly threaded nut 48 fixed in an overhanging portion 49 of frame standard 13, while below said threaded part the rod passes through the spindle 44 of the drum and through a worm wheel 49, journalcd in a bracket 50 projecting laterally from the portion 13 of the frame. Below and for a short distance above this bracket the rod 45 is provided with a rectangular keyway for the reception of a spline whereby it is operatively connected to the worm wheel 49, while being free to slide through the same. V

For driving the worm wheel we provide a worm 51 mounted in suitable bearings on a slide 52 guided in suitable ways provided in the bracket 50 so as to be capable of moving to and from theworm wheel 49 to bring the worm into and out of mesh with the same. Said slide is normally drawn toward the worm wheel by a spring 53 and in order These springs are accurately calibrated and are removably' to automatically disconnect it'under certain f conditions we provide a toggle, one member of which is formed by a pair of links 54. One end of each of these latter is pivoted to the slide 52, while the other end is pivoted to gage the toggle 'members 54 and 55 and 7 V straighten them, thus forcing the slide 52 outwardly and moving the teeth of the worm out of mesh with those of the worm wheel. For driving the worm spindle 58 we fix thereto a pulley 59 and connect it by a belt 60 to a' second pulley 61 fixed on the shaft 3.

In order to make a record of the number of revolutions ofthe main shaft 3, we pro vide a recording counter 62 carried on a bar 6 3 projecting concentrically from and attached to the pin or bolt 20, which, as above noted, is fixed to the lowerjaw 1,9; andprovide thisinstrument with an arm 64 which when oscillated through a small (angle, causesoperation of said counter. Through a link 65 this arm is connected to one arm of a lever 66 whose opposite end carries a roller 67 bearing upon a suitable cam 68 on the shaft 3. This cam is of such design that once in every revolution of the shaft the lever 66 is oscillated on its pivot and through the arm 64 is caused to operate the counting instrument 62.

In order to stop operation of the mechanism in a short time after the power'has been cut off from'the same, we provide a. hand or other suitable form of brake shown as operative on the fly-wheel 5 and consisting of a lever 70 pivotally mounted on a transversely extending rod 71 connectin two legs of the frame. The other. arm 0 this lever is p'rovided with a brake shoe 72, normally held out of engagement with the fly-wheel by means of a spring 73 carried by a bracket 7 4 mounted to one of the legs 2. When it is desired to operate the machine, a sheet of paper is mounted on the recording drum 43 in any desired and suitable manner, and one end of a bar of material to be tested (preferably of a rectangular section) is clamped to thej aw 15 by inserting it in the slot thereof and turning up the set screws 17. It is to be understood that the lower half of the test bar extendsin the line of the slot of lower jaw 19, which is raised by depressing the outer end of the foot lever 35 to within a predetermined short distance of the upper jaw determinednby the setting of the limit collar 37 relativelyfto'thebearing 3%. The screws 22 may now be set up, thus causing the second end of the test piece to be rigidly grippedrby the lower jaw;

The point of the )encil42 being in engagement with the upper part of the sheet of the recording drum, the 'ina'chine is next adjusted or set to cause some predetermined stress l o be exerted on the test piece at each vibrat' Since the springs 26 and '27 will require a definite load to compressor elongate thezn through a predetermined distance, for example 'one'inch, the crank pin 12 is adjusted in its slot 11 until one revolution of the crank as caused by means of hand lever 10, the spindle 8 and gear 9, will cause the pencil l2 to make a substantially vertical line on the record sheet of the drum 4-3 of such a length as would correspond to the load desired on the test piece. For example, if it is desired toapply to the'tes piece a stress of one hundred thousand pounds to the square inch and the strength or" the springs and proportions of the lerer 40 were such that a fiber stress of fifty thousand pounds to the square inch on the test piece caused a pencil movement of half an inch, then the crank pin lQ uculd'be moved to such a distance from the center oi the crank as would causethe pencil to draw a line on the record sheet one inch in length each time said crank was given a complete revolution. Thereafter the handle 101s removed and a power is applied to the shaft 3, in the present instance through the cone "pulley a, so that at each revolution of the crank 6, the j aw 19 through its arm 23 and the connect ing rod 24-, is caused to exert a certain bending force on the test piece. At the'same time the jaw 15 is turned by this strain on its pivot or hinge pin 1% against the action of the springs 26 and 27 exerted on thearm 29. The lever it) through the link ell is therefore oscillated on its: pivot to move the pencil a2 over the card or record sheet and at the same timejthe worm wheel a9 is driven by theworm from the main shaft through the belt (30 and pulleys 61 and it being imderstood that the toggle formed 'by the members 5% and 55 has been previously moved to its broken position to bring said worm into mesh with theworm wheel. As a consequence, each complete cycle of'operations; that is, the bending of the test piece from a straightto a bowed position in one direction to a bowed position in an opposite direction and back to the original position, is represented, for example, by an upwardly extending line half an inch long, to whose upper end is connected a dcwnwardly extending line one inch in length having an upwardly extending line half an inch long continued from its lower end. The number of cycles, as shown by the numbrealrage occurs.

her of revolutions of the shaft 3, is indiupward movement of the drum and its record sheet, the'l ine a? is drawn 'helically, being inclined townwardly from the upper part of said, sheet'around the same for a distance applied without breaking. Under actual operative conditions the throw of the pencil remains substantially constant for a greater or less time, becoming less, however, as the outer fibers of the bar under test gradually break, until shortly. before the piece breaks.

as a whole, the pencil throw rapidly decreases and finally ceases altogether when At this time the lower jaw 19 drops, although it is guided by its pin or bolt 20 in the slotted. plate 18 attached to the jaw the lower end of its arm 23 L 'ng and usting upon the plate award movement of said jaw :19 naturally carries w th it the rodv 63 and the depending on'the number of cycles through which the test piece resists the stress This counting instrument 62, thus also moving downwardly the link 65 and so turning the lererfifi on its pivot as to raise its roller 67 out of the path of the cam 68. As a conse-' quence, operation of the instrument 62 ceases with the breakage of the test piece, so that even thcu 'h shaft 3 should continue to be driven, it is possibleto directly. read on said in ment the number of revolutions of said shaft and hence the number of times the bending stresswi'as applied to the test 'iiece before failure occurredf a The continued operation of the shaft ordinarily continues to turn the worm wheel 45), so that after breakage otthe test piece, the drum :3 continues to rotate and at'the same time to moveupwardly until the head 57 of the splndle l5 strikes the toggle'tormed' by the members 5% and 55. Such engagement straightenssaid toggle and moves the slide 52 away from the worm wheel 49, thus disengaging the worm 51. the drum is thus stopped and owing to the The revolution of fact that the worm wheel L9 with the spindle 45 is now free torturn, the weight of the drum and said spindle causes the screw 47 to move downwardly through the nut e8 until the parts occupy their normal positions prior to starting, as shownoinl ig. 2. In order to again put the drum into operation it is onlynecessary to draw the handle 56 upwardly so as to break the toggle 55-54r,

when the worm 51 again comes into engage ment with the worm wheel. By loosening the set screw 46 the drum 43 may be turned to brin the pencil into en agement with any desired part of the recor sheet thereon.

From the above description, it willbe noted that by means of our machine, we are enabled to apply a predetermined deformation to a piece under'test any desired number of times, and through the agency of springs andrecording mechanism to measure the resulting stress applied. It is also to be noted that the free length of the test piece between the jaws is fixed at the same value for all tests, being, for example, about one-tenth of an inch, while the springs'26 and 27 may beset under any desired initial tension, it being essential, however, that at maximum throw of the arm 29 neither spring shall move out of engagement with the head or end 28 of said arm. The fly- 7 wheel 5 is designed to carry the machine over the points of maximum throw and the speed of revolution of the shaft may be varied between any desired limits, for example,

from one hundred to six hundred and fifty V revolutions per minute.

We claim: v 1. A fatigue testing machine consisting of two jaws for holding a piece to be tested;

5 arms respectively projecting'from said jaws, one parallel with gripping faces of the aws and one substantially at right angles there to; means for oscillating the arm of one of the jaws to alternately bend the test piece in opposite directions; and springs operative on opposite sides of the arm of the other jaw for opposing movement thereof.

2. A. fatigue testing machine consisting of a vertical supporting standard; two oscillatory jaws, one above the other, for holding a piece to be tested, the upper jaw being.

pivoted to the standard; means for oscillating the lower aw to alternately bend the test piece in opposite directions; an arm projecting from the upper jaw; and springs operative on said arm for opposing movement of the lower jaw.

3. A fatigue testing machine consisting of a supporting frame; a jaw pivoted to said frame andhaving a slotted extension; an arm projecting from said jaw; springs confined between portions ofjsaid frame and said arm for opposing movement thereof; a second jaw having a portion operative'in the extension of the first jaw; and means for its pivot; and means for mechanically 0scillating the second jaw.

5. A fatigue testing machine conslsting of a vertical supportingstandard; two oscillatory jaws, one above the'other'for holding a piece to be tested, the upper jaw bemg pivoted to the standard; means for oscillating the lower jaw to alternately bend the test piece in opposite directions; an 1 arm projecting from the upper jaw; and springs operative on said arm for opposing movement of the lower jaw; with means for limiting downward movement of the lower jaw when the test piece breaks.

6. A fatigue testing machine including two jaws each having a projecting arm; a supporting frame on which one of said jaws is pivotally mounted; a crank; means for operatively connecting said crank to the arm of one jaw; .and two springs respectively operative on opposite sides of the arm v of the second jaw. I

.7. A fatigue testing machine including a supporting structure; a jaw pivoted'thereto; springs for opposing movement of said aw; a second jaw operatively connected to 1 the first jaw through a piece under test; means for oscillating thesecond jaw; with a member fixed to one j aw and .movably connected to the otherv for limiting movement of the second fjaw" when the test piece breaks.

8. The combination in a fatigue testing a machine of a driving shaft; two jaws for holding a piece to be tested; mechanism driven by said shaft for oscillating one of the aws, said latter aw being connected to the other jaw solely through the test piece; a counting :instrumentcarried by said first jaw; with mechanism driven by shaft for actuating said instrument and including means for operatively disconnecting the shaft and the instrument when the test piece breaks. V

9. A fatigue testing machine including a supporting structure; a jaw pivoted thereto; springs for opposing movement of said jaw; a second jaw operatively connected to the first jaw through a test piece; a slotted plate attached to the first jaw; and a pin on the second jaw passing through the slotted plate for limiting movement of the latter aw when the test piece breaks.

10. The combination in a fatigue testing machine of two jaws for holding a piece to be tested; means. for oscillating said jaws to alternately bend the test piece in opposite directions; and a member having a definite limited movement mounted in position to engage one of the jaws and free to move it to within a predetermined constant distance of the other when it is desired to clamp a test piece therein.

11. The combination in a fatigue testing machine of a supporting structure; a jaw pivoted thereto; a second jaw mounted below the first jaw; a slotted projection connected to the first jaw; a pin connected to the second jaw and slidably guided in the slot of said projection; an arm connected to the second jaw: mechanism connected to said arm for oscillating the jaw; and a device for moving the second jaw to within a constant predetermined distance of the first rjaw when it is'desired to clamp a test piece 1n said jaw. v

12. The combination in a fatigue testing machine of a supportingstructure; a jaw pivoted-thereto; a second jaw mounted below the first jaw; a slotted projection connected to the first jaw; a pin connected to the second jaw and slidably guided in the slot of said projection; an arm connected to the second jaw; mechanism connected to said arm for oscillating the jaw; and a de vice for moving thesecond aw to within a constant predetermined distance of the first jaw when it is desired to clamp a test piece in said jaws, the same consisting of a vertically movable member mounted under the arm and having a predetermmed range of movement; with a foot actuated element connected to said member.

18. Thecombination in a fatigue testing machine of two jaws for holding a piece under test; means for oscillating one of the jaws to alternately bend the test piece in opposite directions; means for opposing a definite force to movement of the other jaw while permitting such movement; a member attached to said latter jaw so as to be moved thereby; a rotary drum for supporting a record sheet in position to be marked by said member under operating conditions; means for axially moving said drum as it Copies of this patent inay beobtained for is rotated; and a device for automatically 40 stopping rotation of the drum after ithas made a predetermined number of revolutions.- e v 14. The combination 1n a fatigue testing machine of a supporting structure; a jaw pivoted thereon; a second jaw connected to said first jaw solely through a piece under "test; means for oscillating the second jaw; r an arm connected to the first aw andfproj ecting in a line substantially at right angles to the line of the test piece; and two oppositely disposed springs operative on said arm to oppose movement thereof. I

15; The combination in a fatigue testing machine of a supporting structure; a jaw pivotedthereon; asecond jaw connected to said first jaw solely through a piece under test; means for oscillating the second jaw; an arm connected to the-first jaw; two oppositely disposed springs operative on said arm to oppose movement thereof; a marking lever connected to the arm; and means for supporting a record sheet in position to cooperate with the marking lever to forma record of the movements of the arm.

In testimony whereof, we have signed'our names to this specification, in" the presence five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents, Washington; D. 0. V 5 V 

